“I wanted to break into that bracket of Aberdeen and Rangers and we have come up short.

“Fourth is acceptable for some people, not for me.”

Lennon’s summery of the action as “absolutely bonkers” just about summed up as astonishing game.

Gers looked like they were set to be blown away as Florian Kamberi, Scott Allan and Jamie Maclaren put Hibs 3-0 up after a 22-minute blitz.

That left the hosts needing just three more goals to steal third place from the Ibrox men on a final day packed with drama.

But the Light Blues mounted a stunning fightback with strikes from James Tavernier, Jordan Rossiter, Bruno Alves, Jason Holt and Josh Windass.

However, another Maclaren goal sent Gers’ nerves jangling and with Jimmy Nicholl’s men down to 10 after seeing Holt sent-off late on, Hibs’ on-loan Darmstadt frontman prodded home at the death to the delight of his manager.

Gers had to better Aberdeen’s result at Celtic Park to claim second spot but it is the Dons who finish runners-up after a 1-0 win in Glasgow.

New Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard is expected to perform a clear out when he takes over next month.

But caretaker boss Nicholl believes some of his men may have saved their Gers career with their fightback.

He said: “All in all, all I can say is that it has been an eventful three games.

“They have shown a bit of character, a bit of ability as well, over the season and it depends on who is going to stay and who is not going to stay.

“The new manager will have seen something in some of the players today.”